A STALYBRIDGE property will be turned into a 10-bedroomed house of multiple occupation (HMO) – despite concerns over the impact it will have.
Cllrs Christine Beardmore, Adrian Pearce and Doreen Dickinson spoke out against the proposal to convert the building on Stamford Street, close to West Hill School.
However, the application – which would see an existing extension demolished and replaced with another – was voted through by Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Planning) committee.
The meeting heard 25 people had objected and Cllr Beardmore spoke in opposition of the scheme, highlighting the impact it would have on existing infrastructure.
She said: “The objection is on the grounds of over-development, parking issues and problems with the bins.
“On Norman Road, there are already two HMOs – And they are six and seven bedrooms – so another will have an impact on parking and there will be a lot of issues around bins.
“On Stamford Street there is an HMO of ten bedrooms and as councillors we have had to deal with a lot of issues around bins, fly-tipping and rats. From that point of view I think we are at saturation point at this place.
“Both streets adjacent to the property are already choc-a-bloc. West Street is already jam packed.
“Bins are already left at the bottom of West Street and the refuse vehicle cannot get in behind the property and certainly cannot move around.
“I have real questions about how they would do that safely.
“Norman Road has a turning circle and there’s already an issue with emergency services getting there and bin wagons have to go down backwards.”
She was joined by panel members Cllrs Pearce and Dickinson, who voted against the project.
Cllr Pearce said: “The property is in a residential area but there is no off-road parking. We cannot increase its size.
“I’m sorry, I just don’t see that parking is not an issue. As councillors, we’re seeing constant issues from people around parking.
“I also don’t think bins are a waste issue, it’s a planning issue. This would be creating ourselves another problem. It’s not about whether people leave their bins out or not, I think it’s over-development.”
Cllr Dickinson added: “Stalybridge town centre is full of those industrial bins and now our streets are getting them because of HMOs.
“It’s a hazard. What we’re doing is setting up a problem for the future.”
Issues over the impact the new HMO would have on the road system were countered as an agent for the applicant told the panel: “I don’t believe it will create a significant demand on the network.
“It’s in a sustainable location with excellent transport links.”
And Tameside Council’s head of planning, Melanie Hale, told the panel’s members their concerns largely lay outside its remit.
She said: “t’s a prominent location, it’s on the outskirts of the town centre. It’s in a state of disrepair and is being renovated at the moment.
“It’s a large building that can accommodate the number of units being proposed and there is a need in this part of the housing market.
“The relationship between other properties we find acceptable. A single storey rear extension will be built close to the boundary with neighbouring properties but the impact is acceptable. It’s in the same position as an existing structure.
“It’s a residential dwelling, so the test for refusal was not made. We cannot require compliance as bins are a waste issue, it may be a licensing issue too.
“As a planning group, we can ensure there are facilities for waste and ask there’s a plan. What we can’t do is make people put their bin out and then bring it back in.
“That’s not the job of the planning system.”